happyworldfandomcom-20200214-history
Wilhelm III
}}]] | }} |- } | class="wikia-infobox-image" colspan="2" | }} |- } | class="wikia-infobox-image" colspan="2" | }} |- } | class="wikia-infobox-caption" colspan="2" } | }} |- ! colspan="2" | Emperor of the Kaiserreich |- ! Reign | } |- ! Predecessor | } |- ! Sucessor | } |- ! colspan="2" | Life |- ! Born | } |- ! Died | } |- ! Buried | } |- ! Spouse | } |- ! Heir | } |- ! House | } |- ! Military Service | } |- ! Rank | } |- style="font-size:0; line-height:0;" ! style="width:50%; padding:0" | ! style="width:50%; padding:0" | |}Kaiser Wilhelm III was the first Kaiser or Emperor of the Neu Deutsches Kaiserreich, reigning from 1945-1978. Chosen by the Kommission für die Wiederherstellung des Kaiserreichs to take the newly restored throne in 1945, Wilhelm III was the first monarch of the Imperial House of Klink, and reigned until his death in 1978. As he was unmarried and had no children, he was succeeded by his nephew, Ferdinand I. Early Life Wilhelm Klink was born on July 4th, 1889, in Leipzig, Saxony, in the Old German Empire. The Klink family was one of low level Prussian Aristocracy, and the family moved to Dusseldorf in 1901. His father was a barber, and through his service to the Burgermeister Wilhelm was secured a place in a Prussian military academy, graduating 95th in his class in 1914, just in time for the First World War. Military Service Deutsches Heer Wilhelm served in the Imperial Army under Kaiser Wilhelm II from 1914 until the end of the war in 1918. He served until 1916 on the Eastern Front, which fostered an extreme fear of the Russians even before Operation Barbarossa in 1941. In June of 1917 he entered the Luftstreitkräfte and served until the end of the war, notably in support of the Ludendorff Offensive in 1918, earning the iron cross. After the fall of the Hohenzollern monarchy, Wilhelm was left in limbo, eventually entering into the post-war military. Reichswehr After the war, Wilhelm remained in the military, serving in the Reichswehr of the Weimar Republic. Due to the abolition of the air forces, he returned to his original branch of service, artillery. His division was never called up during the Weimar era, although Klink was a supporter of the German People's Party, but later was forced, like all members of the Reichswehr to swear loyalty to the Nazi Party. Luftwaffe After the reformation of a German Air Force in 1933, Klink transfered back into it as a Colonel (Oberst). He served in a bomber unit during the invasion of Poland and later the low countries, and then was transferred to Hammelburg to take command of the newly constructed Stalag-Luft XIII, a position he would hold until the liberation of the camp by the US Army in 1945. He was saved from trial by the vouching of his prisoners. Ascending to the Throne The newly restored Kaiserreich in Happy World needed someone to take the throne, and a Hohenzollern was considered out of the question due to the perceived need to distance the new government from the old Empire, Weimar Republic, and especially the recently defeated Nazi regime. The new Kaiser needed to be from a noble family, but also needed to be a man who would be content to enjoy the luxury and pageantry of being a monarch without a desire to interfere with the politics of the government in it's infancy. The inept and vain Klink was a perfect choice, and he was crowned on October 3rd, 1945, which is still a national holiday commemorating the foundation of the Kaiserreich. Reign as Kaiser Wilhelm III As Kaiser Wilhelm III he was always in the public eye, declaring new noble families, opening the Reichstag every new year, inspecting the troops, and visiting sites of events of national significant. Wilhelm III was popular with the general populace, and had an image not of a strong leader, but a lovable, if inept, anchor for the people. He was also popular with the military, as he was a long time soldier himself, but generally stayed out of the day-to-day operations of the armed forces. He had a great relationship with the first Reichskanzler, Hans Schultz, whom had served under his command at the Luft-Stalag. He did not get along with the interim Chancellor of 1955-1960, Rudolf Schmidt, but generally got on well with the later Chancellors of his reign. Wilhelm III celebrated his Silver Jubilee in 1970, with a larger parade, naval review, foreign military guests, and a large reception at the newly completed Neuer Stadtschloss in Konigsberg. Illness and Death On August 2nd, 1978 the Kaiser fell ill with pneumonia. Dr. Franz Moers, Erster Arzt zum Kaiser (First Physician to the Emperor) informed Chancellor Karl Sonntag that it was unlikely the 89 year old Kaiser would recover. A closed emergency session of the Reichstag was convened, and the unmarried, childless Kaiser was found an heir in his nephew, Grand Duke Ferdinand von Klink. On August 15th, 1978, at 8:32AM local time, Kaiser Wilhelm III was declared dead, and this was announced by Chancellor Sonntag on national television at 12:00PM. A national period of mourning was declared until the coronation of a new Kaiser, with Duke of Konigsberg Helmuth von Kegel acting as Prinzregent as dictated by the Constitution of 1945. The Kaiser was interned in the newly completed Klink Imperiales Mausoleum on August 25th, after lying in state in the Reichstag for ten days. His nephew was crowned Kaiser Ferdinand I on September 2nd, 1978. Titles, Honors, Styles Titles * Short Title Seine Kaiserliche und Königliche Majestät, Kaiser des Großen Kaiserreichs His Imperial and Royal Majesty, Emperor of the Great Kaiserreich * Full Title Seine Kaiserliche und Königliche Majestät, Wilhelm III., König von Gnade des Allmächtigen Gottes von ganz Deutschland, Kaiser von Neuschwabenland, Großherzog von Ernst Thalmann Insel, Präsident des Reichstags, Leiter des Edelsten Hauses von Klink His Imperial and Royal Majesty, Wilhelm III, King by grace of almighty God of all of Germany, Emperor of New Swabia, Grand Duke of Ernst Thalmann Island, President of the Reichstag, Head of the Most Noble House of Klink * As Head of the Kaiserliche Lutherischen Kirche Oberster Gouverneur der Kaiserlichen Lutherischen Kirche Supreme Governor of the Imperial Lutheran Church Honors * Iron Cross (1914) * Grand Cross of the Order of Happiness - Foreign Service (Happy Nation) * Grand Cross of the House Order of Klink Styles * As Kaiser Eure Exzellenz * As Emperor of New Swabia Eure Majestät * As Grand Duke of Ernst Thalmann Island Eure Hoheit * As Supreme Governor of the Imperial Lutheran Church Eure Heiligkeit Chancellors * Hans Schultz (1945-1955, 1960-1970) * Rudolf Schmidt (1955-1960) * Karl Sonntag (1970-1978) ... Category:Monarchs Category:House of Klink Category:Leaders Category:Kaiserreich Category:Noblemen